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Valistead
Valistead (/vælɪstɛd/; Valish: Vekasēi; /vɛkɔːseɪ/) officially the Kingdom of Valistead, is a nation located to the north of Desonia. It consists of four regions, and the capital, as well as the largest city, is Setola. It covers an area of approximately 261,333 blocks, and most of the nation is in either an ice plains or cold taiga biome. It is a large supplier of iron, lumber, and animal products in Terrum, and is also majorly dominated by the Kanatai Mountains in the center and western regions, and fjords litter the coasts. Valistead shares borders with the Empire of Toraden to the south, more specifically the kingdoms of Al-Kashir and Arbolium. It contains continental Valistead and Foteda, an island off of the Valish coast. The Valish-Arbolian lakes take up much of eastern Valistead, and the East Desonian River and its tributaries run through the nation, with the Chetai River running through Foteda. It is lead by a Valiita, a Valish monarch. The dominant language is Valish, and the dominant religion is Seirism. Valistead was originally settled by the Iskald, after the supposedly migrated from Vekorii. The nation is recognized as having been founded in 881 BE (Before Empire), when the Nakiid and Setola city-states unified as the Kingdom of Valistead. Prior to this, the Iskald had been mostly nomadic, with the beginnings of a city in what is now Nakiid. After other city-states became founded, Setola and Nakiid unified, and began to conquer several other states. The two split into separate kingdoms in 702 BE and the War of Kingdoms began. However, this was remedied as the kingdoms reunified as a new Kingdom of Valistead in 563 BE. After the conflict, the newly reunified kingdom began to rise to power, increasing interaction with the peoples of southern and central Desonia. Valistead, now hungry for growth and more power, attacked the land of Al-Kashir, who they had had disputes with, in 540 BE. Valistead began to expand, becoming an empire, and reached its full height in 411 BE, covering almost all of Desonia’s west coast, with land in Arbolium and Denoria as well as the island of Foteda. However, after beginning to lose some of its territories and having financial troubles in the early 3rd century BE, Valistead erupted into a revolution. The people in the nation had grown tired of the state their nation was in, as well as the extreme power of the Valita and the Kasels, essentially Valish lords. During the War of Rebirth from 377-372 BE, the empire began to lose all of its territories, between the financial troubles, the rebellion, and attacks by the conquered peoples. In the end of this war, Valistead emerged as a constitutional monarchy, with a newly formed Second Kedika, as well as the Tadokīita Nikasī, or “Supreme Document” in Valish, which kept the Valita and Kasels in check. In this new form, Valistead’s economy began to improve, and the nation began having relations with the nation Vendeccia. The nations traded quite a bit, and pledged a military allegiance, as Vendeccia had often been threatened by the nation Iahbel. Valistead entered a golden age, the Leisatora, with advancement in art, sciences, philosophy, and other fields. Assisting Vendeccia in the Dwarven Wars in 329-327 BE and 288-285 BE also helped the nation, with the spoils of war being split between the allies. However, in 234 BE, Vendeccia, having found iron, among other resources, beneath the ocean, the main product it was obtaining from Valistead, and deciding it would be better to continue alone, formally broke all ties with Valistead. Valistead was able to stay afloat for a while, but the economy began to suffer, and Valistead became isolated, and also entered a dark age. Valistead pulled through these hard years, even after the new Empire of Toraden became dominant. In 210 DE (During Empire), Valistead, desperate for help, and the Empire, desiring Valistead to become part of their territory, started trading and forming an alliance. After Torans began to massively immigrate, and Toran soldiers were placed in Valistead, the Valish began to attack them. After a while, the Frigid War began in 202 DE, and Valistead was conquered by the Empire. Valistead remained in the empire for a while, until 1228 DE, when the desire for Valish independence was reborn. The 12 year long War for Valish Independence began, and after a while, the Empire let Valistead go, on one condition: Valistead remained in a permanent alliance with them. The alliance soon grew to encompass Vendeccia as well, becoming the Tristone Alliance, and it is an important force in Terrum. Etymology The name "Valistead", an anglicized form of the word originally used by the Kashiri to refer to the kingdom to the north (Valisted), is likely derived from a combination of words. The ending "-sted" comes from "steda", the Old Kashiri word for land. The "Vali" part of the word was the name Torans gave the Valish in ancient times, which in turn comes from "Valita", the leader of Valistead. The Torans likely heard the use of this term, and began to call their northern neighbors the Vali. Eventually, the combination of the name of the people, and the Kashiri word for land, "Valisteda" evolved into "Valisted". The Valish term for the nation, Vekasēi, is harder to track. It seems to contain the root word "Vekō", which can either refer to a land or nation. However, the origin of "Sēi" is disputed. It could possibly have come from "Seirāi", which conveniently fit with the Valish neuter ending for locations (ei), or could have evolved from a locational form of "Mokasāi" ("Mokiisāi" in Modern Valish), which would be "Mokasēi" ("Mokiisēi in Modern Valish). History Migration from Vekorii Before the nomadic Iskald travelled about northern Desonia, and before the founding of the Kingdom of Valistead, the Iskald are said to have migrated from another land. Vekorii, a land said to be very far away, and impossible to reach. The Iskald are said to have left shortly after the Vekorian Enlightenment, which was spearheaded by Taiyesii I. Both the enlightenment and the migration, as well as the existence of Vekorii, are extremely important in Seirism, the dominant religion both in historical Valistead, as well as modern Valistead. However, the existence of Vekorii has been disputed recently, as little evidence has been found. The migration is said to have taken place sometime between 1200 and 1000 BE. The Settlement of Valistead Upon arrival in Terrum, the Iskald began to travel both south and east, hunting for food and supplies. The government remaining from Vekorii was no more. Eventually, as the wanderers began to trade more and more, they the city of Nakiid (Nakiido in Old Valish) began to form. Soon, it became large and densely populated. However, the new city experienced a lot of hardship, with crime running rampant, due to the lack of government. The citizens began to make a council, or Kedika, to deal with these problems, and eventually one of them was chosen to apprehend criminals. As a result of the council being formed, several citizens began to feel restricted. Many of them left the city, and moved south to found their own, one without a government. The city of Takidai was founded in approximately 940 BE, and at first, caused no trouble. Later, however, Tanakian citizens began to harass Nakiidian traders as they travelled south to the many wanderer camps there. The Kedika became worried, and decided that dealing with the Tanakians would be difficult to do without a leader. As such, they chose one of their members, Taivero Yesetii I , to become the Valita, their leader. Yesetii I made quick work of Tanikai, and in the Battle for Tanikai in approximately 935 BE, used his tactical knowledge to completely destroy the city. After finally being relieved of their troubles, the citizens of Nakiid decided to make Yesetii I their permanent leader, and the Kedika was disbanded. The Founding of the Nation After Yesetii I had passed away some time in the 880's, and his daughter Kavesa Yesetii I had taken over, the people of Nakiid worried that another battle could be in their future. Kavesa I decided that the only way to keep the citizens safe would be to declare that they were a nation. She, along with her advisors, made Valistead a nation, and designated Nakiid as its capital in the year 881 BE. In 852 BE, Kavesa decided that Nakiid was not suited to be the capital of Valistead. She commenced the construction of Setola south of the Kunatai mountains. Her reasons for doing this are majorly unknown, but the creation of Setola ushered in a golden age for the nation, with the access to better agricultural areas and the construction of several important government buildings, such as the Nakor Valitasa. 49 years later, in 803 BE, after the majority of continental Valistead had been explored, a new city, Yesalii, was founded on the east coast. The Era of Kingdoms